Many different types of load carrying vehicle are available in use for carrying different types of loads. One type of common vehicle comprises a tip truck having a tiitable dump body which, defines a container which may be used for containing earth of earthmoving purposes. Earthmoving contractors often use this type of vehicle for the dual purpose of transporting earthmoving machinery to undertake certain earthmoving operations and then use the vehicle for holding and transporting soil, rocks or other materials to a location at which the body may be tipped to deposit the soil, rocks or other materials onto the ground or as required. In order to utilize such vehicles to cany earthmoving machinery such as track-type earthmoving machinery to a site where earthmoving is to be undertaken, it is necessary to utilize ramps which are placed, between the vehicle body and the ground. This then enables the earthmoving machinery to be driven from the body down onto the ground via the ramps and enables the earthmoving machinery to be driven up onto the body via the ramps. To unload the earthmoving machinery, it is necessary for the machinery to be backed off the body onto the ramps however this is difficult as the operator of the machinery does not have a clear view of the ramps and thus it is difficult to align the machinery with the ramps. There is thus a risk that machinery being unloaded from the vehicle body can fall from the ramps and thus there is a high safety risk both to the operator and persons in the vicinity of the vehicle. This procedure is also unsafe where the ground is uneven or not level as the ramps extending between the vehicle and ground will not be aligned so that machinery supported on the ramps will, be unstable. In addition, the ramps, which are used are usually heavy and difficult to manipulate and carry as well as store when not in use. There is also a risk that ramps can be stolen.
The alternative to using a dump truck for the dual purposes of transporting earth moving machinery and also for carrying soil other materials is to use a vehicle with a tiitable tray on which the eartbmovmg machinery may be carried and transported to site. After unloading of the earthmoving machinery at a site however, the vehicle is no longer used and it is necessary to have available a second vehicle having a body which can carry soil or other materials. This obviously is not efficient and increases costs.
Similar issues arise in other applications for example in farming applications where inefficiencies arise in transporting farm machinery and also in carrying farm produce.